To Walk the Paths of Destiny
by PhoenixFire Lia
Summary: I moved it over here cuz it fit better. Anyway, the other Digidestined are under a nasty spell created by a mysterious evil being and Lia and Terriermon are the only ones who can stop her. *chapter 5 is finally up*
1. The Curse

To Walk the Paths of Destiny

I've always been a sucker for fantasy stories, and to combine the allure of magic with the unique qualities of each Chosen Child and their Guardian, well, one cannot ask for a better story. I pray that you enjoy this, the beginning of a tale of enchantment and one girl's faith in those she loves. 

We are all connected. We share a bond of deep trust and love that cannot be severed, no matter how sharp the blade. For many of us, words do not need to convey feelings, for we have our own unspoken language that can utter the same message lips and tongues can. Thirty-one souls all linked together. 

I have known many hardships in my life. I was very ill as an infant, and would continue to suffer from such violent battles with sickness for most of my childhood. Two younger sisters with tongues as sharp as my own to pierce my fragile emotions, made even more fragile during the rocky course of adolescence. But I could always find solace in stories. I loved the written word with a passion. My thirst for respite from the bonds of my mortal world could only be slaked through pages upon pages of tales with magic and romance interwoven like fabric on a loom. But my life, marked by studious learning and high academics for as long as I can remember, is not the living nightmare one may think it to be. On the contrary, I am blessed with the most wonderful gifts. I have twenty-eight good friends I love like siblings, a guardian who would rather die than to see any harm come to me, and a young man who is the very center of my universe, a bright star in the sky that holds my heart. 

~*~

We are called the Chosen Children, and it is our duty to protect our home world and one parallel to our own, one that causes our world to pale in comparison. This, the Digital World, was home to fantastical creatures, and the guardians with which each of our number is paired with. My story begins in this world, on a day like no other. The fifteen Chosen Children sat on a hill, where the grass glimmered with color no verdant blade had ever experienced on our own earth. The sky was a periwinkle blue marred by a few fat, fluffy clouds like sheep dotting the horizon. Our hill was surrounded on one side by a vast stretch of ocean, the waves licking at the sandy shore below. On the other side, a dark and ominous forest crept out across the landscape; home to trees of every clime, and with trunks so thick the fifteen of us could link hands and still not reach all the way around. We were positioned in a circle, with our guardians sitting slightly behind us, and if one were to look down at us from the sky we would have appeared to be interwoven rings of varying hues.

Each one of us is a unique individual with qualities that make us who we are. Tai is the courageous one, a bit too headstrong and at times foolish, but he's a leader we can trust in. Sora is our nurturer; a caring, mothering girl who goes out of her way to make everyone feel loved. Izzy is intelligent to a fault, and it's his curiosity and intellect that we count on for strategies and explanations. Joe can always be relied on, he comes prepared for any element and has grown from a hyperventilating worrywart to a serious med student. Mimi is slightly ditzy but she's incredibly sincere, although sometimes too sincere. T.K. is our optimist, a bright ray of sunshine in our lives, and a fine young man. Kari, Tai's younger sister, can find no faults in any living thing, can see only the good. Davis is Tai's protégé and tries very hard to impress him by being fiercely brave at times. Yolei is almost as boy-crazy as Mimi is, and knows how to speak her mind and that can be a strength and a weakness at times. Cody is very serious, and it's rare that you see him smile. It's hard to believe he's the youngest of us. Ken is quiet and very reserved, his intense violet-blue eyes full of mystery, like him. Willis is cheerful and youthful, and quite a flirt. He's made all of us blush at least once. Nicki can be hyper and fun, but lately she's been a dark cloud, moody and withdrawn from the group. We suspect that she may leave our ranks soon. And then there's Matt, our wild wolf. Sharp and fierce as the fairy tales say, yet my lover is truly compassionate, loyal, and fragile, easily hurt and slow to forgive or forget. And that leaves me, Lia. I'm a little of everyone here, but I'm also incredibly sensitive and an imaginative dreamer. 

My wild wolf glanced at me with his intense sapphire eyes, his chin-length golden hair a bright halo around his handsome face. I laid a small pale hand over his strong one, my thin fingers lacing around his knuckles. We had no need for voice, we had such a bond we could actually read each other's thoughts if we chose to. We all could. 

_You have that distant look in your eyes, my Lia. Where are you?_

_Somewhere beautiful and serene, somewhere with you. _

_I wish it could come true, but you have to get back to reality now. Tai's looking quite cross. _

_All right, I'll stay focused this time Matt. _

"What is this warped void Izzy?" Kari inquired, drawing her knees to her chest. 

"It's like a portal between worlds, but it's between this world and a much darker one. This portal was forced open by something evil and powerful, and I have a feeling our foe will make its presence known to us in due time," the intelligent redhead explained. 

"We can fight it, no problem! We can do anything!" Davis rallied, winking at Ken, his boyfriend. Davis and Ken were the only ones of our group that preferred the same sex, and specifically, each other. But it mattered little to any of us, least of all me. They were no different than the rest of us, and we were certainly not going to shun them because of their sexual preferences. 

"The only problem is that none of you have dealt with something that can warp the landscape with a gesture, that can pervert your body into an unrecognizable form with a mere glance, a creature that has magic flowing through its very being," Wizardmon stated quietly. My guardian seemed the most concerned of all, and his serious emerald eyes failed to mask traces of fear. 

"But you know magic, Wizardmon. Surely you can…" Sora began. My digimon raised a gloved hand to silence her, shaking his hair so his long straw-colored hair, which he tied back loosely from his covered face, bounced slightly. 

"I know not enough to combat a force of this magnitude. I doubt Gennai or even the Four Digital Gods could possess that much power. This creature, I'm not even sure if it's a digimon, is pure hellfire." 

"And it's looking for us?" Willis queried. Willis's two digimon, twin brothers Lopmon and Terriermon, nodded solemnly. 

"You cannot know how dangerous it is for all of you here. This…whatever it is…knows you and hates you and will do anything to kill you," Gabumon stated somberly. 

Trepidation washed over all of our hearts, numbing our senses. A storm was brewing in our Digital World, and the thunder that rumbled low over the horizon was just the preview of the tempest of evil that was yet to come. 

~*~

We had a short walk ahead of us, down the hill to the nearest portal to return us to our own world. Our guardians walked behind us, so we could quietly converse with our lovers and friends. Matt offered me his hand, rough fingers from many nights of playing his bass guitar. But if you think I judge people by how coarse their hands are, then you must think me to be shallow, which I am most certainly not. I'm as deep as an ocean, wild as the wind, and as unpredictable as a lightning storm…or so says Wizardmon. 

I could catch snippets of the others' conversations blowing past my ear on the breeze, and each one was concerning the same thing: the evil that was at our doorsteps. 

_What are you thinking about, my Lia?_

_The same thing everyone's thinking about, this dark hellspawn. _

_I'll protect you from it; as long as I have breath in me I'll protect you. _

_Hmm, you're sounding like Wizardmon. Maybe you should be the one with the pointy hat. _

Matt's reply to my wry remark was to send his fingers dancing over my sides until I convulsed with laughter, my sobbing gasps and shrieks easing the tension that cut through the air. My peerage smiled a little, masking their worry for now, at least. 

And then, we saw _her. _A woman of such intense beauty it was sickening, standing in front of our portal. Her long, flaxen hair was several shades darker than Matt's or his younger brother's, braided in sections here and there, with feathery flowers none of us could recognize interwoven in the plaits. Her eyes were the color of pale jade, a mystery in them. Winglike eyebrows arched up her brow. Her thin aquiline nose even seemed perfect. The dress she wore clung close to her body, a deep shade of something close to black, perhaps blue or purple. She smiled with glossy lips the color of Mimi's hair, a Pepto-Bismol pink. 

"Dear, sweet children," she said in a honeyed voice, "I have lost my way. Can you help me, please sweet children?"

_I don't trust her; _Tai's voice rang in my mind, in everyone's minds. 

_We should at least do the polite thing and help her, _Cody pointed out. 

_Sure, if you want to be a brass kettle for the rest of your life, go right ahead, _Nicki snapped. Shadowmon looked up at her in slight disgust. 

_What if she's really one of the Digital Gods or a representative of them trying to test us? _Ken suggested. 

"Not to sound impolite, but just who are you, anyway?" Joe's partner Gomamon inquired. The beautiful woman smiled again.

"I am Caelamon, and I am a good friend of your Azulongmon. Please guide me to the west, where I can be reunited with my dear friend."

"The west?" T.K repeated. 

_Azulongmon guards the east! _

_Lia, run! _Matt's sharp cry pierced my mind as the woman struck with a blow of power. I stepped back, watching in mute horror as my dear friends and my lover writhed in pain. 

# Run, love, run and don't stop until you're far from here. Don't look back. 

# My senses returned, and I found myself bolting for the forest, tripping over clumsy feet, hands and arms scored by bramble and bracken as I entered the verdant sanctuary. I ran deeper and deeper in, my legs burning with pain as my muscles screamed for oxygen, my heart pumping furiously in my breast, my body aching to breathe. I stopped only when I was positive there was no chance for that hideously beautiful creature to follow me. My hands and wrists bled with many shallow cuts, but the pain that throbbed through my body couldn't compare to the pain of my soul. Thirty innocent creatures shrieking in unanimous pain, and I did nothing to save them, the coward I was. I could feel Matt's presence in my mind, but it was fading. 

# Run my Lia, run, I cried to her. She looked so scared, a deer in the headlights. The woman is that dark thing we feared, and we were foolish and our guard was down. Our bodies are being warped, altered, perverted into something she will never recognize. The woman laughs as my hands become no more. The hands my Lia loves. "Foolish Chosen Ones, you will never win this fight. But there is one missing. Your lover, young Ishida? Well, no matter, I will hunt her down, and when she is exhausted and broken, I will torment her further. I will throw her to the burning faggots and watch her be reduced to ash and bone." Don't cry, my Lia, we still love you. We are connected by love. We are connected. We are…

# And they were gone. All of them gone. I fell to my knees, cupping my face in my hands and sobbing. Hot bitter tears ran down my cheeks, my nose ran, and I wept the mournful wail of a woman who has lost everything in the blink of an eye. 

# ~*~

**Well? This was just the beginning, so don't worry. I got the idea from the book Daughter of the Forest and I kind of ripped it off a little. But it's not mine, so I can't take credit. What did you think? I want to know! Oh, I just thought I'd point out that this is my 50th Fanfic! I haven't even been here a full year and I've written 50 fanfics! I feel so proud! Here's to another fifty really soon! ~_Lia _**


	2. The Quest

** **

**To the few people that reviewed this…hey, I know the rest of you will stumble onto it eventually… I'm sorry the last chapter was confusing *cough, Sandry, cough*. This one may be a little more explanatory. Hey, it was just the beginning, what do you expect?**

** **

I must have cried myself to sleep. All I could remember of the day before was the fear that had clutched my heart as I ran, ran for my life. My eyes opened slowly, sore from the constant flow of hot tears that had streamed down my cheeks, now stiff and marred with saline trails from those long-dried droplets of water. My body jerked involuntarily as I slipped back into consciousness, not remembering where I was or what had happened. Then it all hit me like a bag of wet cement. My mouth went cotton-dry as I recalled the howls of pain, the high laugh of that mysterious woman, Matt's plea for me to run. Matt. Tears sprang at the corners of my eyes again as I remembered the last thing he had sent to me mind-to-mind. 

Don't cry, my Lia, we still love you. We are connected by love. We are connected. We are…

There were grass stains, streaks of dirt, and tear marks ground into the wine-colored cotton shirt I had worn the day before, small rips and brambles fastening into my well-worn jeans, my shoelaces untied and tangled around fallen branches. Pine pitch and needles, little leaves, and dirt mixed with shredded moss had found its way into my snarled hair. I must have been quite a sight. Had my guardian, Wizardmon, had seen me, he would have laughed. 

# Well, what have we here? Some forest sprite strayed too far from her faerie ring? 

But there was no one. I was alone. Cold, and hungry, and aching both inside and out, it would only be a matter of time before I fell prey to some vicious creature. 

As if on cue, the leaves began to rustle in the bushes surrounding me. A twig broke with a definitive snap. The fallen foliage, the corpses of the past spring and summer, swished as someone stepped hastily over their broken bodies. My body seized up in panic. I was rooted to the spot where I still lay. My hands groped for some kind of weapon, a stout branch or anything that could send a sharp blow to my potential assailant. I found nothing but earth, which I tore at in fear and anticipation until my fingernails turned black. There was a soft sniffling sound, as if the creature following me could sense me by scent. My lips were trembling as the tears in my eyes started oozing down my cheeks again, burning the raw skin. 

"Lia?" the question was plaintive, almost fearful. 

"W-who…who's there?" I whimpered back, my hands clasped close to my chest. 

A small white face peeked out from behind a scrubby shrub, its dark eyes wondering and brimming with fear. A coal black nose sniffed the air, before the creature emerged fully, a small rabbit with white and pale green ears almost twice the length of its small body. 

"Terriermon! How did you…where did you…why did you…?" 

"Willis jumped in front of my way and got hit harder than I did, so while that spooky lady was making fun of all of them I took off and went looking for you. You left a pretty easy trail to follow," he explained. 

"You mean that woman could find me?!" I gasped. 

"No, I mean easy for a rabbit like me. That lady couldn't find you if she had Joe's bifocals…or Yolei's for that matter."

"That's a relief. What…what happened to the others? What happened to…" my words were snagged in my throat, caught as I forced back another wave of tears. "What happened to Matt?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure what happened to the kids, I was already gone by the time the crazy lady got to them. But as for the other digimon guardians…they're stones."

"Like statues?"

"No, like rocks. They're all just kind of lying on the hill where we left them. But like I said, I don't know what happened to the kids."

"Maybe I can help a little more," said a gentle voice behind me. For the second time today, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Bolting to my feet and turning quickly, I came face-to-face with an unusual man in his late twenties, early thirties. He at once reminded me of a young Obi Wan Kenobi, the great Jedi master of _Star Wars. _I knew better than to think that, for this man was the greatest mentor and teacher to all Chosen Children, and in a very roundabout way, almost a surrogate father to Izzy. 

"Young lady, you're a mess," he chided, frowning at my disheveled appearance. 

"I'm sorry, Gennai, I…"

"No matter, there's no time for explanations. Your friends are in terrible danger and you are the only one who can break the curse they are under."

"I don't understand. What happened, and who was that woman?" 

Gennai sighed loudly, seating himself on a nearby stump cushioned with a thick coat of fuzzy emerald green moss. He rested his hands in his lap, staring at me with dark eyes. Terriermon stood beside me, an inquisitive expression on his little white face, a huge ear flopping over an eye every now and then. 

"My dear, that woman is in a way, like myself. She is not quite a digimon, yet she is not entirely human either. But she, unlike me, has power. Terrible, dark power that she uses to inflict curses upon those who cross her."

"But why us?" Terriermon interrupted. 

"Frankly, I don't know, and she probably doesn't either, but she doesn't give a damn and now she's placed a terrible curse upon the other children. I do believe she can take on different forms, and is known simply as Belladonna. She has given the Digidestined new forms, ones that will eat at their human conscious until they slip further and further into their new bodies and remember nothing of being young men and women. They will know only the ache of hunger, the fear of being hunted, the fear of death. Cold will seep into their veins, and they will most likely acquire tastes for blood and flesh. And they will not recognize you."

Gennai's words struck a fatal blow to my heart. What if Matt, my own lover and truest friend, whose lips have met mine a thousand times or more…what if he struck me down and killed me, not knowing it was I until my blood ran down his throat and my bones were picked clean? I blanched, my eyes widening to twice their normal size. 

"Now, now, don't look so afraid. Your friends can return to their human forms at the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes, from sunset to sunrise. Now, as for your task…I wish you had some other choice, but the way to break the spell was not chosen by me. Firstly, from the moment I take my leave until every last Chosen Child and Guardian is back to their true forms, you cannot utter a single word, nor can you draw pictures or write things, or sing to convey your ideas. Gesturing and speaking mind-to-mind is all right, but you cannot mention a thing of your quest, not even to the others, or all is lost. That part, the not speaking about the quest, goes for you as well, Guardian of Miracles."

"If Lia spoke to me mind-to-mind, and I translated, is that cheating?" Terriermon inquired. 

"I'm not quite sure," Gennai admitted, "but don't go trying it just in case." 

"But that's not it, is it?" I pointed out, playing with the silver crescent necklace hanging at my throat. _Please don't make me weave thorns into shirts for all of them, _I silently pleaded. __

"No. You must journey far from here, to the Wellspring of Flames. There you must fill this bottle," he paused and handed me a small red vial on a string, which I slipped over my head to rest around my neck. "And then you must travel to the Forest of Ice and fill this," he handed me another container, like a canteen, which I slung over my shoulders. "And finally, you must gather the petals from the Roses of Darkness and Light. All of these must be combined with three drops of your own blood in a pot under a full moon, and must be left to simmer all night. But if you should cry into the cauldron, the potion will not work. This potion you can place in that," he pointed to the canteen, "and it must be sloshed onto each of the fourteen children. Only then will they return to their human forms. When the children are revived, so will be their guardians." 

I nodded, repeating the lengthy instructions in my head. Then I remembered something very crucial, and made a point to ask of it. "Gennai, all of this will take months. What of my parents…what of all our parents?"

The wise teacher smiled clandestinely. "I made perfect copies of all of you and placed them in your homes. They are exact down to the last strand of hair or pimple, and to every personality quirk. They will be posing as you until you can return home, and your families will never know the difference. Is that everything you need to ask of me?" 

**__**_Are you scared, Lia?_

_A little, Terri, but I know that all of this will be worth it in the end. _

I shook my head reluctantly, and Terriermon the same. Gennai stood, shaking his robes off a little. 

"Then I can offer you nothing more than this satchel. In it you will find rations enough for a few days' worth of meals, candles, matches, a knife, a cloak, a bar of soap, and a small map of the surrounding area. Good luck, my Daughter of Faith. Remember that light and darkness go hand in hand, and don't forget that you are never alone. We are connected." And with that, Gennai disappeared, leaving Terriermon and myself

_We have a long walk ahead of us. Are you ready to start now?_ Terriermon inquired.

I nodded, and tossing my dark hair to the wind, stepped onto the path that would take me back to the arms of my loved ones.

~*~

**I should've learned from "Love Has No Boundaries" that journey stories get boring after a while, but thankfully, I know exactly where I'm going with this one. (Especially considering I ripped some of it off from that book.) What did you think? I need to know these things, you guys, otherwise I won't know how I can improve! ~_Lia _**


	3. The Equinox

~*~

Hey, lookit, Sana Jisushi, another chapter! As for those who wish to be my English teacher, my flowery language and my unbroken paragraphs are staying *sticks out tongue* so there. My English teacher is crazy enough as it is, I don't need a second one! *ducks as Mrs. Anti hacks up papers with the Red Pen of Doom* Now, for chapter three…

Terriermon and I had been walking for two weeks straight, and truthfully, we were no closer to the Wellspring of Flames than when we began. The forest had thinned a while back, and now we were ambling down a well-worn path partially hidden by the ever-present coat of fallen leaves. The rations Gennai had provided us were reduced to one scrap of stale cracker bread to share between the two of us. Terriermon had tried foraging for something to quell the dull ache in our stomachs, but the forest was so picked over not a single berry or nut or leafy shoot was visible for miles. 

"Are you mad?" he asked when returning empty-handed. I shook my head and smiled almost sympathetically. 

We'll find something soon, I know we will. 

I was immersed in thought as we continued our trek. Of the fourteen days of almost continual walking, it had rained seven of those days. Two times out of those seven I was able to whip the warm, hooded cloak out of my satchel and sink deep into waterproof comfort. Those other five times the rain came upon so quickly, and in such drenching sheets, there was no time to grab the cloak, only enough time to run for shelter and emerge hours later thoroughly soaked and coated in mud, leaves, and brambles. I hadn't even bathed properly in days, and if Gennai thought I was disheveled before, he would be absolutely appalled at my condition now. 

"Um, Lia?"

I glanced down at the formerly white and green bunny, now about as muddy brown as his twin, my expression quizzical. 

"I do believe," he said slowly, "that today is the first day of spring. Isn't that-"

# The Vernal Equinox! They'll be coming back tonight!

I glanced up at the sun, it was just past its zenith and starting to arc towards the horizon. We only had time enough to prepare something, anything to eat for fifteen ravenous children and a hungry bunny-like being. 

"You want to cook up something for everyone, is that what you're thinking?" Terriermon asked, judging by a look I must have had on my face. I nodded curtly, pointing to some fallen branches littering the pathway, and then made a sweeping gesture at the forest surrounding us. 

"Oh, I get it. Start a fire and then we can go scour the forest for salad stuff, right?"

Again I nodded, being in a better mood than I had been in days. Terriermon arranged a misshapen pile of twigs and pine needles, slamming it with his attack. We didn't dare waste a precious match. 

Maybe there's water nearby. We could try and catch a fish. 

"With what? Gennai didn't give us fishing equipment and that Survivor man isn't going to show up with a reward challenge."

When this is over I'm going to tell Willis you've been watching too much television. 

~*~

We had found a pond, calm, still and serene, but it was as bare as the woods. Not a single plant growing at the water's edge, at least, nothing Terriermon could recognize as being edible. My rabbit companion vehemently stated that he would _not _chase down a fish, not even for Willis's sake. Dejected and discontented, we trudged back towards the meager attempts of our campfire which, when we had left it, was giving off about as much light and heat as a birthday candle. 

"Wow! Lia, look at all of that!"

Our fire had doubled in size, and still hungry for dry kindling sitting in a thick pile nearby. A metal skillet and a small pot rested next to a wooden cutting board, where lay a fish that had to be as long as my arm and as wide around as Willis's little guardian. Terriermon examined the contents of the pot and cried triumphantly, "It's rice! There's rice in here!" 

# Who could have left all of this for us?

"Do you care? Hurry up and cook it, I'm _starving_!"

I admit I'm no culinary artist, but I somehow managed to cook the fish, the rice already steamed and perfectly moist. There would be plenty of food for all of us, and as I glanced up at the sky, now turning crimson, violet, tangerine with the fading sun, I realized that there was little time left before the rest of our number reappeared. I pointed to the fish, cooling in the skillet, in a gesture that clearly said "guard that food with your life." Then, picking the soap out of the satchel, I headed off for the pond. 

~*~

It took me a good fifteen minutes to actually find the pond again, and by then the sun was dropping lower and lower over the horizon. I sprinted the last few feet, shedding clothes as I ran, leaving a trail of myself. A pair of Reeboks once navy blue and white, now mud and darker mud, the laces frayed. Socks with holes in the toes, damp with water and sweat. Jeans stained with goodness-knows-what, the seams tattered and small holes the size of a nickel at their frayed beginnings at the knees. A wine-colored shirt sticky with pine pitch, the ripping sleeves dotted with blood from the scabbing scrapes on my arms. Belladonna, the woman who caused all this trouble in the first place, could easily find me merely by following my clothes. Her cold words stung in my mind as the cool water of the pond washed the thick layer of grime from my hair and body. 

_I will throw her to the burning faggots and watch her be reduced to ash and bone._

Belladonna intimidated me little. True, it was her fault I was mute, footsore, on a ridiculous quest of fidelity, and sorely missing everyone I cared about deeply. But the woman would not rob me of the faith and inner strength that kept me going. She would not win out. 

_So help me God, _I thought to no one in particular. 

~*~

I arrived back at our little camp just as the sun made its final dip below the horizon, a few last golden rays spilling over the land before it washed into the blue of twilight. I was once again dressed in my filthy clothes, dark hair dripping wet onto my back, shivering despite the fact that I was standing barefoot next to the fire. My socks and shoes were nearby, drying out. Terriermon had divvied up the fish and rice, and now all we had to do was wait. 

"When do you think Willis will come?" 

I shrugged, poking at the flames absentmindedly with a long branch. 

Suddenly there was a snap of twigs coming from the woods in front of us, and there came a nearby howl. Another echoed, followed by a chorus of mournful wails. Terriermon was evidently terrified, ducking behind me. I dropped the thin stick I was playing with and grabbed a stout one from the pile, thrusting it into the heart of the flames until the end was blazing with tongues of fire. Holding my makeshift torch in one hand, I ventured a few steps away from the fire. A pack of wolves stood in the inky darkness, I could just make out their hazy silhouettes. There were seven large wolves, obviously older, stronger members. Just behind them were six smaller wolves, and then a puppy. Their eyes glittered ominously in the faint firelight, and I stood within striking distance. But before I could even blink the wolves vanished, to be replaced with the shadows of more familiar forms. Someone whispered my name, and hastily I dropped my burning bough into the fire with the others, running as quickly as my unshod feet could carry me, spreading my arms wide and flying into the tight embrace of my lover. 

"Lia, my God, Lia!" he murmured, tears catching in his eyes, in his voice. 

"Are you all right?" Sora inquired. 

"You're soaked and covered in dirt! What happened?" Joe gasped. 

"What are you doing way out here, anyway?" Tai asked, his tone of voice a little harsh. They all started talking at once, and I could merely cling to Matt, silent tears running down my cheeks. 

"Why won't you answer us?" Yolei questioned. 

"What's happened to you?" Kari added. 

"Was it…was it _her?_" Ken asked fearfully. I shook my head, making wild gestures at my throat and lips. 

"Lia, please tell me what's wrong," Matt begged, holding me close. 

# I can't! I can't!

"That's right. We can't say what we're doing, but everything will be all right in the end," Terriermon chimed, venturing over to our group. Willis yelped in joyous surprise and hugged his companion fiercely.

~*~

It was well past midnight, and we were all still up talking. Well, the others were talking, I was silent. Apparently Belladonna had changed the lot of them into a pack of wolves, and they were none too pleased about their experiences so far. The smell of cooked food nearly made the younger ones retch. 

"You're on some kind of journey to break our curse, aren't you?" Cody said quietly. 

"And you can't talk at all?" Willis asked in disbelief. 

"It isn't worth it. I'd rather be a wolf all my life than to make you suffer," Matt argued bitterly, never straying from my side for an instant. 

"You weren't thinking that when you had to kill that squirrel," Mimi pointed out. 

"That squirrel deserved to die. It was mocking us," Nicki mentioned. 

"I can't believe this is the last time we'll be human again for months. It's quite disheartening," Izzy mumbled. 

Keep your hope and faith alive, as I have. We will not let that woman destroy us. 

"Lia's right. We can't give up when we've barely started. And we all have each other," T.K. agreed. 

"We'll never give up the fight!" Davis exclaimed, raising a fist enthusiastically. 

~*~

Dawn was approaching. The hours had passed by far too quickly. I had barely any time to be with them, and Terriermon was in tears. 

"I don't want you to go, Willis!" he cried, hugging his partner. 

"I know, but you'll see me again soon. Besides, you have to protect Lia. She needs you now more than anything. All right?"

Terriermon nodded sullenly, trudging off to dredge up breakfast. I stood with the others, saying what goodbyes I could. 

"Stay safe," was the farewell speech that was on almost everyone's lips. 

"We'll see ya in a couple months. Try not to get into too much trouble while we're gone," was another. Matt was as silent as I. As the sun started climbing towards the sky, warming leaden clouds to a rosy hue and brightening the heavens to their proper blue he took my hands in his own. 

"I love you, never forget that," he whispered, grazing his lips over mine.

I love you too. You'll always be in my heart, all of you will. Remember what Gatomon once said, "Their paths may be different, but the place they end up in is the same."

And with those mindspoken words I walked away, the sight of them changing back to wild forms too painful for my eyes, already welling with tears. 

Terriermon had packed the satchel and doused the fire, anticipating another day's walk. 

"Get your socks and shoes on, get the canteen, and let's hit the open road!" he commanded impatiently. "The sooner we go the sooner we can find all that stuff we have to find and the sooner Willis, Lopmon, and I can go back home and be a family again!"

I hurriedly stuffed my feet into my socks, jammed my shoes on, and slung satchel and canteen across my shoulders, pointing to the path that lay ahead of us. 

Then let us go. The Wellspring of Flames can wait no longer. 

~*~

**And with that, I leave ye faithful readers to review. Um…the next chapter may take some time getting out, I broke our printer and as punishment my computer time is being strictly limited. Hopefully Dad will forget all about this castigation. At least my TV privileges still stand! ~_Lia_**


	4. The Flames

**Well, I'm being bogged down with a touch of writers' block, but nothing serious enough to deter me from writing another chapter. Besides, hearing Matt's "I Turn Around" over the weekend was spiritually uplifting. So without further annoyances, chapter four…**

** **

The sky overhead was a deep blue intertwined with shades of violet and black, the smothering bubble of atmosphere hazy with billions of stars, each seeming so small and insignificant to those who stood on terra firma. Terriermon and I were aching to stop for the night, but our little map announced in its colorful diagrams that a village lay nearby, and the two of us had reached the mutual agreement that we would keep walking until we came upon the village. Hopefully there would be someone there that could give us further directions, as our map only went so far.

"Lia, you're going to make yourself sick staying up like this. C'mon, let's stop and sleep, okay?" 

I hesitated for a moment, my body eager to follow the command, but my heart longing to keep to the road before us. 

Terr…I can't. If you want, I'll carry you a ways. 

"I'm fine. I know you wanna keep going because of Matt, and I'm sorry he's gone."

His words brought tears to my eyes, already drooping with exhaustion. Was that my motive? Was that why I was making myself suffer? For my own selfish purposes? No, no it had to be a lie. I was doing this for the sake of the two worlds, for without us to protect them the forces of darkness could gain total control. It was just a tragic twist of fate that Matt got caught in the middle of everything. 

Just then a wailing cry pierced the stillness of the night. It sounded as though something were in the utmost of agony. Terriermon and I exchanged glances for a moment. __

"Is it just me or did that sound like…"

# A wolf in a hunting trap? I finished for him. 

"But that means we'll have another day's worth of walking to that village!" Terriermon whined as I turned towards the direction of the howls. 

_Terr, what if that was Willis, eh? I _will not _let some creature, Destined or not, die in a hunter's snare when I know I could do something to help it. _

"What if it's old Belladonna?"

Then she'll be owing me her life. You could always stay here. 

"Oh no you don't. Willis told me I was to guard you, and that's what I'm gonna do."

~*~

About ten heartbeats later we came upon a glade littered with fallen leaves the colors of rust and paprika. There was a clank of cold steel, and more anguished yelps. Terriermon whispered to me that he could smell blood and fear, and the combination could result in a hostile and unwilling patient. In the midst of the clearing was indeed a wolf, his front left paw stuck in a bear trap, the heartless metal teeth of the hideous mechanism biting into the creature's flesh. The poor animal glanced up at me with wild eyes, dark as the night sky. Ragged and matted fur dampened with perspiration, bracken water, and mud hung limply over a haggard frame. I could count the ribs under his pelt, which, under the filth, was an unusual shade of what looked like blue. 

# Ken? Ken; is that you, my little brother? 

# I knew he wouldn't answer. Terriermon flicked his dark eyes at me as I used the sibling term I gave to all my younger peers. 

# "I'll go stand watch or something," he offered, bounding off in one direction. 

# The young wolf growled, foam curling around his jowls. I scouted around for something to use to pry the jaws of the trap open, knowing that if I didn't work quickly the wound would spill its life's blood onto the forest floor before it could ever clot. There was a short branch and a stone the size of my fist just inches away, to my good fortune. 

# Ken, you have to hold still. This is going to hurt, but I promise it'll only hurt for a few moments. 

# My stiff fingers pried at the edges of the trap, tugging with all my strength until I could open the great jaws enough to thrust the stick in. Easing the wolf's paw from the orifice, I ran my fingers over the wound to feel for any broken lumps, and massaged the tense muscles in the limb. A hand went to my satchel and pulled out a skin of water, the soap, and the little knife. The wolf yelped in fear at the sight of more cold metal. 

# Shhh, I won't harm you. You remember me, Ken. You came to see me just a few nights ago. 

# I washed the wound as best as I could given the conditions, and used the knife to hack a fraying piece of cotton sleeve from my shirt to use as a bandage. The wolf stared at me gratefully before limping off into the woods. I heard a short bark from one of the lead males, and in that call I could almost make out the voice I so longed to hear. 

# Thank you, my Lia, for saving him. 

# I know you would do the same, Matt. Be safe, love, and the same to the others. 

# At this point I could hear Terriermon bickering with someone. Picking up my belongings, I ventured over to the clearing to listen in. 

# ~*~

"Who goes there?"

"I'm Terriermon."

"So? There are plenty of Terriermon in the Digital World."

"Yeah, well, I'm not your average Terriermon. Now who are you?"

"The guardian of these woods, and the spring behind it. You are trespassing, prepare to die."

"Whoa, whoa, prepare to _die?_"

"That's right. Unless you can give me reason to spare your life, you're one dead bunny."

"I deserve to live because I am the Guardian of Miracles and right now the Guardian of Faith so if you kill me two of the Chosen Children will have no one to protect them!"

"Miracles and Faith, eh? I've never heard of them."

"The Child of Miracles is sort of new, but the Child of Faith, well, Lia's been here for a while, enough time to get herself _very_ acquainted with the Child of Friendship."

"Lia, did you say? And where is this Lia? Why isn't she pleading for her life?"

"She can't."

"She's mute?"

"You could say that."

The huntsman of the forest raised his sword to strike, when I hurtled from my hiding space and, panting heavily, stood hairsbreadths away from the sharp point of that cruel blade. The golden eyes of the great Leomon stared back at me. 

"Impertinent mortal!" someone else cried. Ogremon sauntered out to stand beside his former enemy. 

"Ogremon… So, you are one of the Digidestined?" Leomon inquired. 

I nodded; eyes burning with fury that one of the most renowned digimon in this world would dare strike a Guardian Monster. 

Tell him that on the crests of Tai Kamiya and Matt Ishida if he ever threatens someone like that again may the four Digi-gods strike him down. 

Terriermon repeated my statement, and the two champion beasts gaped at us. 

"You mean she speaks?" Ogremon asked incredulously. I nodded again.

"But she doesn't choose to?" Leomon inquired. Terriermon nodded this time. 

"Well, you obviously have your reasons, and we will not keep you from your path. May the Digi-gods protect you in your endeavors."

~*~

"Leomon said there was a spring nearby. You think it's the Wellspring?"

If Ken and the others of our pack were in this forest, then I believe that's a good assumption. 

Just then we entered a field where the grass was lush and kept only as long as my thumbnail. There was a stone fountain pool in the center, and the fountainhead in the center of the pool spouted liquid that fell in bright droplets with the crystalline sound of water splashing on water. But upon closer looks, my rabbit friend and I discovered it was not water at all, but liquid flames. 

"You have to put _that_ into that little bottle?" 

I already had the red vial unstopped and was kneeling beside the fountain. Heat radiated up from the bubbling fluid, and as I dipped the bottle into the substance I could feel my flesh crawl with searing warmth. I bit back screams of pain as my skin cooked, boiling in the fiery water. Soon the bottle was full and I was able to thrust my raw, red left hand, my strong hand, out of the fountain and quickly stopper the bottle. 

"Oh Lia, your hand! Your hand is all red and burned!"

_It doesn't hurt that much, don't worry; _I lied, slipping the vial over my neck. It was pleasantly warm on my chest. 

Terriermon went into the satchel and pulled out a roll of bandages and a pot of a cream that smelled of aloe that I was certain hadn't been there before. With my good hand I spread the cream over the burns and wrapped my charbroiled hand with the bandages. 

They're only first degree, if even that. 

"That's a relief. But at least we have one ingredient. Now all we have to get is the water or whatever from the Forest of Ice and the roses of Darkness and Light. That shouldn't be too hard…should it?"

# I don't know. The Forest is probably miles and miles from here. Shall we get walking?

Terriermon nodded, and as we consulted the map, the sun began to climb over the horizon, lighting our way on the paths of destiny. 

~*~

And this is where I leave you for now. Chapter five will be out sooner or later, stress on the later since I'm not one hundred percent positive of what'll happen next, but I have a good idea. Keep those reviews coming! I love hearing from you guys! A review from you readers is worth half a dozen hugs from Matt! 


	5. The Deception

To Walk the Paths of Destiny

~*~

**Well, King Weregarurumon, the reason why Leomon was being snarky last chapter was based on something I like to call "The Wizardmon Factor." Seeing how Leomon died and was brought back to life to serve no real purpose, he's in a bad mood. I did the same for Wizardmon, and that's why he's always pissed off or ignorant of my commands. So now that that's cleared up…**

** **

****Another month had passed, and now summer raged unbearable heat down on Terriermon and me. My left hand, the one I had burned obtaining liquid flames from the Wellspring, had seemed to get worse, not better. The skin was still a raw red, and my whole hand was swollen. None of Gennai's gifts seemed to help the supposed infection heal, and I began to wonder if I would ever be able to use my hand. As it was, I had to switch wearing my ring and watch to my other hand. 

"Hey Lia, look over there. To the north, way in the distance, that big white patch. What do you think it is?"

Maybe it's the Forest of Ice. But it still looks like another month's journey away. Can't you at least try digivolving?

"I don't think it'll work. Willis isn't here, and I don't have enough energy to try. Sorry."

I nodded, touching the vial at my throat. The insulated bottle kept the flames inside from searing any more of my flesh, but it was still quite warm. The heat of the bottle provoked a memory from over the Christmas season, one that brought hot tears to my eyes. Matt and I had been out playing in the snow like a couple of children, throwing snow down one another's jackets until our lips were blue and our gloves were soaked through thoroughly. We trailed a path of snow back to his apartment, where we stripped out of our wet clothes, Matt tossing me a shirt to throw on for the time being. We had a cup of cocoa and curled up together, watching more fat snowflakes fall from the sky. 

"Thinking about Matt again?" Terriermon asked, becoming quite skilled in recognizing my "flashback trance". I wiped a tear from my cheek, barely moving my head in a nod. 

Why bother dwelling on the past? Let's get moving, there isn't much time before the sun goes down and I'd rather not be walking in the dark…not even with a guardian wolf pack out there somewhere. 

~*~

We found shelter in a small outcropping of rock in the center of a wide meadow. The stones were granite slabs like those of Stonehenge, fallen together in collective heap that resembled a crude tent. Whatever it was, we were glad for dry shelter safe from the wind, for the nights got cool in the Digital World, no matter how hot the day was. Terriermon sat in my lap, snuggling close and wrapping his huge ears around me like a makeshift blanket. I was thankful for the little bundle of warmth, and more thankful for his company. I don't know what I would have done without him. 

_Terr…_

"No talking, just sleeping," he mumbled, cuddling even closer. 

Fine, don't listen. 

Slightly angered and annoyed that he didn't want to talk, I unclasped myself from his iron grip and ducked back outside, breathing in the chilled night air. Tipping my head back, I traced my fingers along the sky, silently listing every constellation I saw. I didn't know many before, but Izzy and Ken had once taught me the sky, and after that I was pleased to share my newfound knowledge with my boyfriend. 

Star light; star bright, every star in the heavens tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight, I chanted, adapting the old nursery rhyme for the current sky conditions. I wish I could wake up in the morning and find that this was all a terrible nightmare. I wish that everything could go back to the way things were before Belladonna ever came. I wish my Matt would come back to me, even for just a little while, so long as I could be held. I wish I could speak again, could sing, could laugh. 

So many wishes for the stars, I know, but my heart burned with a desire hotter than a thousand of those stars. 

It was one of those times that my body craved sleep but I was not tired at all. I shook my head in annoyance, fiddling with the bandages on my hand and the ring on my finger, the silver band given to me for my birthday. 

Damn him. Damn Matt for all these happy memories to make me miserable. 

Lia, as nice and really great as you are, shut the hell up! For crying out loud, you're such a woman! Terriermon snapped mentally from his little nest. You're never going to get what you want if you keep standing around and feeling sorry for yourself! Do you really think Matt wants to see you standing around sniveling like this?

He was absolutely right, and I kicked myself for behaving like such a brat. I had been thinking only of myself, when the others needed just as much attention. Poor little Cody could hardly keep up as a human, let alone a wolf pup. Ken was probably still injured from the hunting snare. Our digimon were left in a collective heap of stones. And here I was, pining away for my lost love when everyone else was in just as deep misery as he. 

Thank you, Terriermon. That mental slap brought me to my senses. 

No prob. I'll give you another slap any time you need one. 

Ha ha, very funny. Do you want me to tell you a story or something to help you sleep?

Maybe. I don't know. Generally your stories intimidate me. 

I would have laughed at this, but instead bit my tongue, afraid that my giggles would condemn the others to a life of endless suffer and the end of their humanity as they knew it. 

Well, let me know if you want one, Terr. 

The little rabbit sniffled and rolled over in his hiding spot, trying to get comfortable. 

You really should get some sleep, Lia. It might help your hand get better. 

I had to consent this time. If I didn't get to bed soon, I'd drop where I was standing, endangering myself. 

I'm coming, I'm coming. 

But as I trudged, heavy hearted, back to our camp for the night, something caught my eye. Someone was standing nearby, watching me, cloaked in a shroud of shadow. The form of that mysterious figure seemed familiar, but the uneasiness that came with it made me leery.

Terriermon, get over here. Now!

He stumbled out from the rock pile, plodding over to my side with an ungraceful stride. 

"Whaddya want? I was trying to sleep, which you should be doing too. You're going to make yourself sick, Lia, and you know as well as I do Joe isn't here to make it all better and I doubt Gennai will come either."

The figure in the shadows cocked its head, moving a hand towards its mouth. 

"Lia? Hey, is that you?" came a whisper. 

Matt? But…but how can you be here? It's impossible. It's not the Autumnal Equinox for another three months. 

The young man sprinted over, blinking back his own exhaustion. He looked me over quickly and gave a curt little nod. 

"It is you, thank God. Listen, I can't explain how, but we've broken the spell. You're free to speak again, lover."

Did he just ignore me? I think he just ignored me! I huffed mentally to Terriermon. 

Something weird is going on, be cautious. 

"Lia? Why won't you say anything? I told you, the spell is broken, you can stop all of this and come with us. The others are picking up the digimon, I told them I'd find you and we'd meet on the hill. C'mon, Tai's going to get pretty pissed if we don't get over there."

Matt, are you even listening to me? I'm speaking to you, plain as day! You're right, Terr, something is wrong. 

He went to grab my left hand, only to contort his face with shock as I jerked it away. 

Don't you see it's burnt? What the hell is wrong with you?

"Come on, Lia. Let's go. Wizardmon will never let me hear the end of it if I don't bring you to him safely!"

What do we do, Lia?

I gulped, the motion singeing my throat, raw from not speaking in months. I trusted and loved Matt, but the man in front of me didn't seem to be who he said he was. But I couldn't be certain. Why wasn't he responding to my touch of mind? Could he have broken our bond? No, I told myself, he loves me too much to ever break such a bond. Even if we broke up, we'd still remain friends and share that link. It's a link everyone, Destined or not, can access with the power of the heart. But this Matt may not have a heart. 

Wizardmon will understand. He trusts me. 

"You're being obstinate, Lia. Why won't you trust me? I love you, darling one."

You're a fake, a phony, someone pretending to be my Matt. And let me tell you something, you lying bastard, I will not go with you, no matter how sincere and convincing you may sound. 

"You don't trust me, do you?" he laughed, running a hand through his hair. Leaning in to brush his lips over mine, Terriermon darted around and bit him soundly on the ankle. Cursing, the imposter went to strike the rabbit creature, only to be suddenly surrounded by my guardian pack. 

"Lia, it's the others!" Terriermon cried, trying to position himself for a direct attack. I nodded, a wave of relief washing over me. One of the lead males, a handsome creature with piercing sapphire eyes and a pale coat, worn ragged by malnutrition and exhaustion, stood by me defensively, baring his canines and growling. 

The false Destined, now surrounded by a ring of fierce fighters, laughed. And in less than the blink of an eye, his body changed to that of a woman so beautiful it sickened me. 

"Damn girl!" she shrieked, shaking a fist at me. "You little bitch! How dare you?" 

How dare I what, eh? 

"Bunny blast!" Terriermon hollered, sending a green flash of energy at Belladonna. She absorbed the power and hurled it back at Willis's partner, who just barely dodged it. 

You honestly thought I couldn't tell the difference between my boyfriend and a witch like you? Pathetic. 

"Insolent little wretch! Well, don't think your fool Digidestined will come rescue you every single time! No, there will come a day when you'll be all alone, and there will be not a single soul to save you, girl. You may have eluded me this time, but rest assure, you will not escape me next time."

"Go suck a Digiegg," Terriermon snapped. Belladonna shrieked in rage and vanished in a cloud of rotten-smelling smoke. 

Are you all right, Lia? Tai and the others asked in unison. 

I am now that you're here. Thank you, everyone, for coming to my aid. 

Hey, I owed you one, Ken pointed out.

The lead male in front of me nuzzled my burnt hand ever so gently, licking the spots where the bandages had come undone. 

Joe, what do you think? 

Pretty bad, that's what. It's only a first-degree burn, maybe second, but it won't heal right for some reason. 

"Well I could have told you that," Terriermon said impatiently. 

We'll follow you as far as the next town, if you want, Sora offered solemnly. 

After that, we're going off for a while, until the Equinox, Izzy added, nuzzling his own girlfriend. Nicki gave a curt nod. 

Hey, wolves gotta do what wolves gotta do, ya know. 

Until then, please get some rest, Lia, Cody begged. 

You'll be in no condition to fight that hag if you're all worn out, Mimi pointed out. 

All right, all right, you all win. 

Good, I like winning things, Davis said with somewhat of a grin. 

I lied down right where I stood, sleep making the world go dark. The last thing I heard, other than fourteen wolves and a digimon lying down beside me, was the voice of my cherished one, whispering in my mind. 

I am always with you, my Lia.

What lay ahead would be more hazardous and heartrending than what I had faced before, but I would carry on with courage, because I knew I had to. 

~*~

**Sorry that took so long to get out! I had a hard time trying to word it, and I went away on my Missions trip, so that had an effect as well. I promise to get more out sooner, if you promise to review. Oh, and from now on, this will be in the "fantasy" section. FF.net finally put a fantasy section in, and I think this fits better there than in "drama." ~Lia **


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